Wait, you mean I voted for the right guy for a change?

Let me mention one other cause, which is controversial, but consistent with my faith [I am biting my tongue, let’s not quibble here –pzm] and my principles. And, more importantly, consistent with this country’s founding principles and its Constitution. I believe that every Minnesotan should have the freedom to marry legally the person she or he loves, whether of the same or other sex.

Last year, Minnesotans began a conversation about why marriage matters, and we found our common belief that it is about love, commitment, and responsibility. I want Minnesota to be a state, which affirms that freedom for one means freedom for everyone, and where no one is told it is illegal to marry the person you love.

It’s a good thing Dayton won too. The guy he was running against in 2010 was not only as regressive and conservative as one can be; if elected, Tom Emmer would have been the dumbest governor in the country, even dumber than Rick Perry, Bobby Jindal and all those other wackaloons. So good vote PZ!

Meanwhile in the UK we have just had a vote in the House of Commons in which the Prime Minister had to rely on the votes of the opposition to get enough votes in order than his legislation legalizing same-sex marriage would pass the second stage of its process of being law. Over 50% of Tory MPs voted against the bill. And to think Cameron introduced it to show how modern his party is!

What!!? Minnesota still has blue laws? OMG…I am so glad I live in a civilized part of the world.

most states have odd and random rules about alcohol sales. and unfortunately, I occasionally hear mumblings about introducjng some such in european countries, too. to protect the children from binge drinking, and the poors from alcoholism/

This governor’s words should be quoted often in every state legislature.
Yes, alcohol sales on Sunday is a nice progressive surprise for those of us who have lived in the regressive states. When I moved to Ca from Tx, I was a bit shocked to find the local liquor store open on Sunday. My friend who is a local asked “Why would it not be open?”
The most regressive state that we have lived in was Ok. We had just closed on our first home, and I was cooking a special meal to celebrate. I was looking for the wine aisle in the grocery store, and a clerk told me that I had to go next door to the state controlled liquor store. I put my groceries in the car, put my baby in his carrier, and stepped into the liquor store. I was kicked out! My six-month-old son was the reason! I was shocked.
I called the hubby and asked him to pick up the wine on the AF base.
Of course we have been able to thumb our noses at the regressive state laws, since we are able to buy our booze on base. We have always been able to buy it on Sunday, even with our kids in the store with us. And guess what? None of them have grown up to be alcoholics.

So, in his State of the State statement, the state governor stated… oh never mind.

Matt Penfold (#5):

Yes, several conservatives are voicing empty objections (“But my philosophy states that everything needs to stay the same… justification for my philosophy? No, I don’t need one of those.”) Thankfully the conservative prime minister seems to be genuinely pushing in the right (correct) direction. Is this a true reflection of the leadership of British conservatism, or is Cameron making up for stabbing his Liberal deputy in the back over voting reform (after Clegg convinced his party to about-turn on tuition fees)?

I know this is a small detail, but I’m really happy that he said “whether the same or other sex” rather than “whether the same or opposite sex.” I hate “opposite sex.” Male and female are not opposites, they’re just different. And opposite implies only two options, whereas “other” allows for diversity.

Is this a true reflection of the leadership of British conservatism, or is Cameron making up for stabbing his Liberal deputy in the back over voting reform (after Clegg convinced his party to about-turn on tuition fees)?

To be fair to Cameron (whom I have no time for as a rule), I think he does see this as an equality issue — not that his attitude to women has always been impressive — and he has acted accordingly. I also think he expected better from his party, but misjudged it. Instead, it has been an absolute delight for the rest of us, watching the bigots out themselves and listening to their absurd and irrational excuses (I’m looking at you, Mad Nad).

most states have odd and random rules about alcohol sales. and unfortunately, I occasionally hear mumblings about introducjng some such in european countries, too. to protect the children from binge drinking, and the poors from alcoholism/

If that was the case, then the closed days should be Thursday/Friday/Saturday, day before holidays, etc.

There’s a bill in the Minnesota legislature to allow liquor to be sold on Sunday.

Minnesota still has blue laws regarding the sale of automobiles and alcohol to be taken off the premises Sundays. The opposition to changing the alcohol law has usually been from non-chain retailers, not religious. These non-chain retailers want to have a day off without losing business to the chain retailers. Here’s what was said after the same proposal died last year: “It wasn’t the big liquor stores that came in (to testify on previous measures); it was the small ones — the mom and pops came in and said, ‘you’re going to take six days of revenue and spread it over seven days,'” Rep. Joe Atkins, DFL-Inver Grove Heights, answered.http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/columns/news_cut/archive/2012/03/sunday_liquor_sales_dies_again.shtml

Yes, you cannot buy liquor on Sundays in Minnesota, but you can go to the local bar and order a drink. Doesn’t make sense, but a few blue laws are still in effect. (You can’t buy a car here on Sunday either.)

Anyhow, it’s no surprise that Dayton supports same-sex marriage. I still remember his support for ending Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell when he was our senator.

Yes, several conservatives are voicing empty objections (“But my philosophy states that everything needs to stay the same… justification for my philosophy? No, I don’t need one of those.”) Thankfully the conservative prime minister seems to be genuinely pushing in the right (correct) direction. Is this a true reflection of the leadership of British conservatism

From across the water, it looks to me like Cameron sees which way the wind of social attitudes is blowing, and he’s positioning his party for the future. He knows that there are younger voters who favor same-sex marriage but still want to gut the welfare state, and he wants to make sure his party doesn’t turn lose them by looking like dinosaurs.

actually, the proposed bans I was talking about were about forbidding sales at night, for example

At least some modicum of sense then. Banning sales at times when the most likely impulse buys would be occuring. I highly doubt that such laws would be very effective in curbing binging, and the debate would be whether or not the inconvience to non-binging customers would be worth any effect it did have. Or whether the government has a place in banning binging, rather than addressing the underlying causes (high youth unemployment and lack of oppurtunities, for instance). Speaking as a social libertarian (though I sure as hell am not a fiscal one, for the record), who has made a decision to engage in somewhat self-destructive behaviour, like binging on alcohol, upon the rare occasion. Like many things, it seemed like a good idea at the time.

In my college days Iowa had state liquor stores and no sales on Sunday. Minnesota was much more progressive with private liquor stores. Now the situation is reversed. Iowans can buy liquor any day of the week from a variety of businesses, mostly grocery stores. Minnestoan grocery stores can’t sell liquor and there are no liquor sales on Sunday. What a bunch of savages!! Next time I go to Minicon I’ll bring my own booze.